Slug, Brother Ali, Dessa to get out the vote Oct. 28 at First Ave

Brother Ali and Slug performed together last weekend at the Twin Cities Day of Dignity concert. / Renee Jones Schneider, Star Tribune

Much like the onslaught of TV ads, the politically motivated concerts keep on coming. The newest -- and biggest – addition to the pre-election gig list is the Oct. 28 “Get Out the Vote Minnesota” rally at First Avenue headed up by the Twin Cities two most famous rappers, Brother Ali and Atmosphere mouthpiece Slug. U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison’s re-election campaign is hosting the event, which will also feature other outspoken rappers including Dessa, I Self Devine, Los Nativos and MaLLy.

Tickets are only $5 but will be distributed in an unusual way: Fifth Element record store in Uptown will offer them first starting Monday at 5 p.m. for any fans who register or pledge to vote on Nov. 6. Whatever is left will then go on sale Tuesday at 11 p.m. through the usual First Avenue outlets. Click here for more info.

Organizers say the show is primarily to drive up voter registration, but you can bet there’s more to it. Both Slug and Ali were vocal at recent shows about their opposition to both the same-sex marriage ban and voter ID amendments, and First Ave itself took out a billboard calling for a “no” vote to the marriage amendment. Coincidentally or not, Slug and Ali were just on stage together last weekend at the Twin Cities Day of Dignity concert and Ali’s First Ave release shows. Day of Dignity took place outside Masjid Ad-Nur, the mosque in north Minneapolis where both Ali and Rep. Ellison are members.

Muja Messiah and Maria Isa, aka Villa Rosa. / Photo by Tony Nelson

There’s also another newly announced hip-hop-heavy concert headed to the Varsity Theater on Oct. 23 that is overtly urging fans to oppose the two proposed amendments. The so-called “Vote No2” show will feature a uniquely diverse lineup of Villa Rosa (Maria Isa and Muja Messiah), Guante, Tall Paul, the Lioness, Pretty Ugly, Strange Perspective, Bomba Umoya, Melong and more. Tickets ($8) are on sale now via Ticketfly.